Being Christ in Christmas
The usual clamor of the holiday season is occurring, and just beneath it is the faint din of anger.
Once again many have raised their voice regarding the “secularization” of Christmas. Armed with slogans like, “Keep Christ in Christmas” they ensure we will always remember this is a holiday about Jesus of Nazareth.
Common greetings such as, “Happy Holidays” are met with a defensive, counter-greeting of “… and Merry Christ-mas to you too.” Just try using the common abbreviation “Xmas.” Some believe this is literally “X-ing” Jesus out of the holiday!
What is glaringly absent from these vocal Christmas Crusaders is any protest against the consumerism, greed and selfishness that accompanies our normal celebration of the holiday season.
Retailers push gift buying for two months every year to cushion their bottom line. Herds of people stampede one another in the name of saving a buck on Black Friday. Churches sell tickets to their Christmas Pageants to subsidize their massive production budget. People shop, party, and travel to the extent that they barely notice the holiday they want to keep Christ in has come and gone.
This has become the common American way of celebrating the holidays, yet some are upset about those who choose to say “Happy Holidays?”
For many who do not celebrate the holiday this attitude is perceived as insensitive, not to mention a complete overreaction. However, these defenders of the “reason for the season” may be on to something.
This is a season that has been remembered and celebrated by Christians for centuries. The Church has historically called this time of year “Advent.” It is a time when the people of God anticipate and celebrate the coming of Jesus, “... though he was in the form of God he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit. But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave," (Phil 2.6,7 CEB).
He came to join humanity in our suffering and in his death and resurrection brought peace, hope, and love to a hurting and broken world. Christmas is God’s way of constantly reminding humanity, “In all of your joy and in all of your struggle … I am here with you.”
The Church is not only to celebrate and remember the gift of Jesus; we are to imitate him and have the same attitude of mind he possesses.
I must admit, I am fan of keeping Christ in Christmas too. Except I really don't care if you call it a season or a holiday or something else entirely. What I care about is whether or not people see Christ in Christmas when they see his Church celebrating it.
Keeping Christ in Christmas has nothing to do with greetings. Rather, it is about the people of God being Christ in Christmas.
In imitation of the God we celebrate on this holiday we must empty ourselves and take on the form of a slave. In giving our time, presence, and resources to the hurting and broken we will remind all people that Christ is still here with us.
Perhaps this kind of celebration would lead us all toward a very Merry Christmas.